Review of the systematics and phylogenetic relationships of the Sabethini (Diptera: Culicidae)

This paper reviews the historical treatment of the tribe Sabethini and genus-group taxa and examines the unusual life histories associated with the group. Although recognized by taxonomists as distinct, the taxonomic position of sabethines has been questioned and their rank within the family Culicidae unstable. In order to evaluate the current status of the classification of the tribe a cladistic analysis is performed. Thirty-seven taxa are selected from within the Sabethini and two outgroups were chosen from the tribe Aedini. Exemplars are selected from genus-group taxa world-wide and new and traditional character systems examined in larval, pupal and adult life stages. The results firmly establish the sabethines as a monophyletic group. However, the genera Runchomyia , Tripteroides and Wyeomyia are not demonstrably monophyletic. In addition, the data support the New World taxa as a monophyletic group to a paraphyletic assemblage of Old World taxa. The pattern displayed by the cladogram suggests the ability to vector arboviruses has arisen more than once in mosquitoes.